JESSIE WARE DANCES THROUGH LIFE Songstress Talks Gaining Confidence from the Queer Community and Upcoming Detroit Show
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Outdated HIV Criminalization Law Negatively Affects Michiganders Campaign Seeks to Expose Anti-LGBT History of ‘The Real Mike Pence’ Ferndale Pride 2018 Welcomes Volunteer Help This Is What’s Wrong: Nassar and MSU Are Not Alone JESSIE WARE DANCES THROUGH LIFE Songstress Talks Gaining Confidence From the Queer Community and Upcoming Detroit Show WWW.PRIDESOURCE.COM APRIL 26, 2018 | VOL. 2617 | FREE Choose PrideSource/Between The Lines when completing this survey. Thanks for your help. HIV CRIMINALIZATION OPINION 14 COVER JESSIE WARE NEWS: LIFE 4 A Hookup Gone Wrong 14 Jessie Ware Dances Leads to Years in Prison Through Life (and Soon, 8 This Is What’s Wrong: 6 List of Summer Prides Her Next Album) 6 Ferndale Pride 2018 20 Happenings Nassar and MSU Are Not Welcomes Volunteer Help 22 Classifieds Alone 7 Lobby Day 2018 to Bring 23 Puzzle and Crossword 4 Michigan’s Unjust HIV Criminalization Laws Community Members, Politicians Face-to-Face COOL CITIES: 10 Campaign Seeks to COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS EVENTS HAPPENINGS Expose Anti-LGBT History ANN ARBOR of ‘The Real Mike Pence’ 17 Theatre NOVA’s ‘The Devil’s Music: The Life and 10 Senate Confirms Anti- 6 Pride Season Blues of Bessie Smith’ LGBT Jim Bridenstine as Extended NASA Chief Arriving 17 Ann Arbor’s Dawn Farm 12 FLASHBACK: Blade’s Offers Presentation on 1989 Report on Barbara Volunteers Gratitude and Addiction Bush Hugging Man with Recovery AIDS Needed 17 Jim Toy Center Hosts 20 Best of LGBT Events 12 Syracuse University Chipotle Fundraiser May 1 Suspends Frat for ‘Racist, Anti-Semitic, Homophobic’ NATIONAL NEWS Video 12 Dems Object OPINION 10 Mike Pence’s 12 Remembering 26 Rep. Hoadley, Sen. O’Brien Honored by to Removal of 8 Parting Glances Caring Across Generations Barbara Bush 8 This is What’s Wrong: Anti-Gay 26 Michigan’s Safe Delivery Law Helping Save Nassar and MSU are Not LGBT Health Newborns Agenda Alone Data 9 Creep of the Week: 26 ACLU of Michigan to Hold LGBTQ Donald Trump Community Forum in Benton Harbor VOL. 2617 • APRIL 26, 2018 EDITORIAL News & Feature Writers ADVERTISING & SALES ONLINE AT ISSUE 1064 Editor in Chief Emell Derra Adolphus, Michelle Brown, Todd Director of Sales A. 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Andrew Potter, Alexander Godin, Andrew Cohen Copyright 2018 Pride Source Media Group April 26, 2018 www.PrideSource.com | BTL 3 NEWS A Hookup Gone Wrong Leads to Years in Prison State’s Outdated HIV Criminalization Law Negatively Affects Michiganders BY TODD HEYWOOD eremy Merithew’s life took a turn for the worse when what was intended to be a Jcasual hookup earned him a brush with discrimination and substantial jail time. That’s because he was HIV-positive and his hookup, Dwayne Cook, claimed Merithew failed to disclose his status before the two engaged in oral and anal sex. That’s a four-year felony in Michigan and has been since 1989. His mother, Teresa Perrin, has been by his side for the whole fight. “It’s been a heartbreaking experience in what he’s gone through,” she said, “and not being able to get him out of it, and the way he was treated and the unfairness of it all.” Both Perrin and Merithew were in Lansing last week to lobby lawmakers to change Michigan’s law. Iowa, California and Illinois have all modernized their laws in recent years. Matthew Craig, coalition director for the Michigan Coalition for HIV Health and Safety, said having Merithew accompany the group in lobbying efforts to reform and modernize Michigan’s laws is important. “As far as when it comes to a personal story and talking about how Michigan’s HIV criminalization laws affect Michiganders, I think it’s important that we have people who have been affected badly by this law be able to speak to their own experiences,” Jeremy Merithew with his mother, Teresa Perrin, has been by his side for the whole fight. he said. “Basically, our ability to translate to lawmakers and let them know that this is chained me to the floor and, they sat there and transmitting the virus. actually published my online profile picture, something we need them to change.” interviewed me for over an hour or whatever It still grinds now 37-year-old Merithew which was a full nude picture, on the 6 o’clock Craig’s coalition is working with lawmakers after they let me sit there for a while and stew to this day. news,” he said. “So yes. The inmates were to provide them basic HIV education while ... I think it was the next day they came back “I mean, it’s just we live in the 21st century,” aware of what was going on. But in their lobbying for the introduction of legislation and arrested me.” he said. “Science should be taken into account minds, they saw it as I was intentionally to modernize the law to require prosecutors Evidence used at trial, however, raised when it comes to medical-type laws.” trying to infect people, and so it’s just called to prove the accused had an intent to transmit questions as to whether or not there was a perception. The general public’s idea of what the virus, as well as engaged in behavior disclosure of Merithew’s positive status. HIV is, or what the criminal statute actually demonstrated to transmit it. Because right now, Merithew said that he was asked questions Publicly Outed is.” intent doesn’t have to proven for the accused before the hookup via email and answered to be sentenced. Before Merithew had a chance to confront “yes” to each. his accuser in court, the local Fox News His accuser, Cook, had his own issues. At affiliate, Fox 17, revealed he had created an Stigma Surfaces Miscommunication the time of the hookup he was a married man online profile on the same hookup app in While in jail, Merithew would soon face with a pregnant wife who worked to raise violation of his bond terms. Judge Redford more allegations promoted by the television In August of 2012, Merithew was finishing money for a local housing agency. Ironically, revoked Merithew’s bond and he was sent station. He would stand accused of trying to his studies to become a nurse. He lived in a that agency also administered federal money to jail. infect other inmates with food. Grand Rapids suburb, and used an app get into for the Housing Opportunities for People with “Yeah, there was some guy online actually “I was getting sandwiches with my meds contact with Cook. AIDS (HOPWA) program. (who) turned me into Fox 17 news,” he said. and I don’t like bologna, so I was giving “Then, two days after, the police came to Despite having been on medications for “And it was kind of creepy when my lawyer them away instead of throwing them in the my door,” Merithew said. “Knocking on the years and maintaining an undetectable viral read after the fact, you know, who this guy was garbage. This one guy who everybody was door, asking all sorts of personal questions. load, Merithew’s attorney, Christine Yared, and basically said, ‘Yeah, I’ve known him for calling ‘Crackhead Joe,’ he would always go I answered them truthfully. I willingly went was prevented by Kent County Circuit Court years, I’ve been following him for years.’” around saying, ‘I’m not a crackhead,’ and, down to the police station with this guy so Judge James Redford from presenting any And the media scrutiny didn’t stop there. bang, he would hit his arm like that,” Merithew that they could interrogate me. They basically scientific evidence that he was incapable of “That would be because Fox 17 news slapped his arm to indicate shooting up drugs. 4 BTL | April 26, 2018 www.PrideSource.com Jeremy Merithew was paroled earlier this year, but he remains restricted. Because he was ordered to register as a sex offender, which the Michigan Sex Offender Registration Act does not require for his specific conviction, A Hookup Gone Wrong Leads to Years in Prison he’s prohibited from using computers and must wear an ankle monitor.